


I'll be by your side

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: How to woo your local barista [31]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Barista Raphael, Demisexual Raphael Santiago, Established Relationship, Homoromantic Raphael Santiago, Idiots in Love, Insecure Raphael, Living Together, M/M, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Talking, supportive Simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 15:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9277616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: "Okay, there it is again, the frowny face. I told myself not to ask and wait until you talk to me on your own accord but...what's going on? Something is bothering you lately and if it's something I did--""Dios mío, Simon, you didn't do anything. It has nothing to do with you, don't worry, idiota. It's just something Magnus said but...it's nothing," he dismissed with a shrug, grabbing the mug his boyfriend had just cleaned and starting to dry it off. He could feel Simon staring at him, followed by a sigh and the sponge dropping into the dishwater before the other dried his hands off on his thighs instead of grabbing the second towel."Come on, tell me about it. It can't be nothing if it's clearly on your mind so often," Simon pleaded softly, reaching out to take the mug and towel from his boyfriend's hand, put them down on the countertop and curl his fingers around Raphael's hands to tug him into the living area and sit down on the bed instead of the more uncomfortable chairs at the tiny kitchen table."Really, it's nothing, bebé," he sighed but his fingers intertwined with Simon's automatically, squeezing them gently while his thumb brushed the back of the other's hand absently.





	

Raphael couldn't help but smile at his lover humming along to the song in the radio and even shuffling a little to the beat while cleaning another plate before handing it over for his lover to dry it off. He was leaning against the countertop, dish towel in one hand and now the wet plate in the other one, looking at his boyfriend with a probably way too soft expression and once again trying to grasp the fact that they had been living together for almost a month now. Part of him had expected it to get a little stressful, living together in the confined space of the small one-room-apartment but for some reason, they simply kept on making it work.

He was more than thankful for this fact because part of him had actually been worried they might get on each other's nerves quickly when they would spend most of their free time together because they _had_ _to_ but it actually didn't feel much different from just staying over before he had moved in here. With the only difference that he always came back to this place after work and that he spent every night with Simon curled around him. He could have it worse.

"It would actually be more effective if you used the towel because letting it dry on its own like this might take a while," Simon's voice interrupted his admittedly mushy thoughts and Raphael grimaced at the cheeky grin tugging at the corners of his lover's lips. He grumbled something unintelligible, shook his head and started drying the plate properly while his thought involuntarily started to drift off once again but this time to a different topic. One that had been spooking around in his mind for about two weeks now - thanks to Magnus - but he hadn't quite gotten around to voicing it to his lover yet. Mostly because he wasn't even sure of it was worth addressing when he hadn't even made up his mind in the slightest bit.

"Okay, there it is again, the frowny face. I told myself not to ask and wait until you talk to me on your own accord but...what's going on? Something is bothering you lately and if it's something I did--"

"Dios mío, Simon, you didn't do anything. It has nothing to do with you, don't worry, idiota. It's just something Magnus said but...it's nothing," he dismissed with a shrug, grabbing the mug his boyfriend had just cleaned and starting to dry it off. He could feel Simon staring at him, followed by a sigh and the sponge dropping into the dishwater before the other dried his hands off on his thighs instead of grabbing the second towel.

"Come on, tell me about it. It can't be nothing if it's clearly on your mind so often," Simon pleaded softly, reaching out to take the mug and towel from his boyfriend's hand, put them down on the countertop and curl his fingers around Raphael's hands to tug him into the living area and sit down on the bed instead of the more uncomfortable chairs at the tiny kitchen table.

"Really, it's nothing, bebé," he sighed but his fingers intertwined with Simon's automatically, squeezing them gently while his thumb brushed the back of the other's hand absently. Raphael didn't even know why he felt so hesitant to talk about this but for some reason, he felt like it was a dumb, useless idea anyway and something that wouldn't work out anyway. So why talk about it when it was no use anyway?

"Come on, háblame," Simon prompted gently, clearly not wanting to push but there was a mix of curiosity and worry in his beautiful brown eyes and Raphael couldn't stand the thought of his lover overthinking this if he kept avoiding the topic.

"It's...stupid, really," Raphael started and paused, breathing out with a huff and trying to shake off the unnecessary hesitance he was suddenly feeling, "Magnus may have suggested that I could still go get a better degree. It's not like I dropped out in the middle of school or whatever. I finished the 9th grade and left with the end of Junior High instead of going to Senior High."

He mumbled most of the explanation and wasn't too sure if Simon even got half of it but instead of looking up to make sure, Raphael preferred to keep staring at their linked hands, weirdly embarrassed for some reason. Simon already knew he had left school - of course he did, Raphael was only 18 now and supposed to be in his last year of High School instead of working as a barista in a small coffee shop. It still felt awkward to address the topic head on.

"I thought you left school with 16?" Simon asked softly and there was not the slightest hint of judgement in his voice, just a bit of confusion and the curious prompt to continue with the explanation.

"Yeah, well, I was actually 15 but it was only a few months until 16 so," he shrugged and his fingers toyed with Simon's, tugging at and rubbing the slender limbs gently with his own.

"Doesn't really matter, though. I stopped to focus on work and I never even thought about picking up where I left off with my education. I don't even know why I got it stuck in my head now because of Magnus."

"Maybe because it's important to you? Do you _want_ to get a better degree?" Simon asked, of course he would, and he gently stopped Raphael's fingers in their nervous fumbling by covering them with his other hand. He briefly glanced up at his lover who was simply smiling at him patiently, his brown orbs kind and loving as usual. Raphael simply shrugged.

"I have to work anyway so..."

"No, come on. Don't pull that _20 reasons why I can't do it_ card on me. All of the maybe-obstacles aside - what do you _want_ to do?"

Raphael frowned and stared at their hands again until Simon's fingertips pushed against his chin, gently tipping his head up to lock their gazes. He didn't repeat the question or plead him to answer truthfully but he didn't need to, Raphael could see it clear in his lover's gorgeous eyes.

"I--I don't know. It would be handy to have a better degree, I supposed. But like I said, I have to work and who knows if I'd even be capable of--"

"Shut up," Simon interrupted him softly, index finger pressing against the other's lips to effectively silence him while rolling his eyes at Raphael, "don't even start that. You're not stupid and it's not like you stopped going to school because it was too hard but because you put your families needs over your own. You always put others first and maybe it's time to do something for yourself?"

Raphael was about to protest but the gentle pressure against his lips successfully stopped him and he huffed against the slightly rough pad of his boyfriend's finger.

"None of the silly excuses. If that's what you want to do, we will make it work out. And I'm not telling you to just stop working and start school again. There's stuff like evening schools or night schools - whatever it's called - and you could still work during the day. Just...a little less to not overwork you. But you're intelligent and certainly stubborn enough to do it. You can always ask me for help with the school stuff as well, in case you need it."

Simon's smile was so bright and hopeful, clearly sensing his admittedly obvious insecurities about the whole idea and trying to warm him up to the idea without pushing anything on him that he might not want. To be honest, Raphael had actually always liked going to school. Sure, there had been some bullying assholes but it had never been anything he couldn't handle. He didn't care about narrow-minded people trying to pick on him for superficial reasons like the darker tone of his skin or his habit to fall back into his mother tongue every once in a while. Learning had been kind of fun and the better occupational outlook with a higher education was certainly a good reason as well.

"Just...think about it, okay? It's not impossible and we will manage to get it done, I'm sure. Don't just write yourself off as too dumb or tell yourself you can't do it for financial reasons. I paid the rent for this apartment by myself before you moved in and we could just shift the finances so that you pitch in less. I'm not telling you to just let me pay for everything but it's not like our expenses are impossible to manage when you make a little less to focus on studying."

Raphael didn't like the thought of having his lover pay the bigger part of their expenses but maybe he could manage to keep on working five days a week and still go to school in the evening? He would just have to talk to his boss about not being able to take late shifts. Raphael was surprised he actually started thinking about how to fit the education into his current schedule now and even though the insecurity still lingered, Simon's positivity certainly managed to push him into a slightly more optimistic mindset as well.

"I'll think about it, lo prometo."

The brilliant smile he got in return wrapped around Raphael's heart like a warm blanket and he was once again unbelievably thankful to have this gorgeous boy by his side, to be able to call Simon his boyfriend. He breathed the "Te amo" against his lover's lips before sealing them with a sweet, thankful kiss to hopefully convey the appreciation he had for Simon's unwavering support.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Háblame_ \- Talk to me  
>  _Lo prometo_ \- I promise
> 
> * * *
> 
> I supposed it was already clear that I don't really know the US school system with the whole "Raphael isn't going to school anymore" thing - I seriously didn't know it's uncommon in the US to finish school at the age of 16. In Germany, it's not even possible for everyone to go to high school so it's fairly common to not have a hight school degree.  
> Just another heads up and the usual "please feel free to correct me" - whether it's the language (English or the bits of Spanish), context or simply about how stuff works over there because sometimes I simply forget to consider that the US might make things differently from us *laughs*
> 
> Also, a big thank you to everyone who still sticks around for this seemingly never-ending series, those who leave kudos as well as everyone who takes the time to leave a comment. I appreciate all of you and I'm just unbelievably happy you are (hopefully) enjoying this ♥


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